This week’s Fossil Friday let's sink our teeth into a true titan of the ancient oceans – the Megalodon!
Not just a large shark, Megalodon (Otodus Megalodon, previously known as Carcharocles Megalodon) was the biggest shark known to science, swimming through the seas from around 23 to 3.6 million years ago. It’s thought to have reached lengths of up to 18 metres, that’s over three times the size of a great white!
Most of what we've managed to learn about Megalodon comes from its teeth, which have been found up to around 18cm / 7inch long! These giant, triangular, serrated chompers were perfect for slicing through its food - and powered by a bite that could crush bones, including those of whales, which were very likely on the menu, yum!?
Sharks constantly shed their teeth throughout their lives, with them growing like a terrifying conveyor belt in its jaws, so the fossil record is full of them – a dream for collectors!
How do you spot a Meg tooth? Look for:
- A large, triangular shape (or ear shape - Otudus actually means ear-tooth)
- Serrations along its edges
- A wide, robust root
- A Bourlette between root and crown on the lingual ( inside ) face
- And, of course, size – Meg teeth are often big enough to fill your palm (or two!)
Despite their resemblance, Megalodon wasn’t just a supersized great white. In fact, they’re from different branches of the shark family tree, so just distant cousins. Megalodon likely had a wider jaw, bulkier build, and a shorter snout – think more underwater bulldozer than sleek torpedo, but this is all just speculation at the moment!
Megalodon vanished around 3.6 million years ago, possibly due to cooling oceans, shifts in prey populations, or competition from other predators. But the fossils it left behind, especially those iconic teeth, remain as awe-inspiring as ever.
This week’s sketches show the scale of this beast, compared to a London double Decker bus (yup, it was that big!). There's also one to help understand the naming of the various elements of the tooth, and a couple of photos of the real teeth, showing both size, and the terrifying way they grow!
The teeth in the photos are some of the real fossil teeth we currently have for sale - each one a unique prehistoric treasure, and for me at least, a reminder of how scary the seas can be!
Fun fact: One Megalodon could shed 10's of thousands of teeth in a lifetime – no wonder we keep finding them, though they are still relatively rare, especially in good condition, as they're still millions of years old.
